Reasons why Federer’s window on French Open closed last year.

 

Last two years is the only time, Federer has had any success at the French Open, out of the eight times he has competed there. Best performance before that was a quarterfinal berth in 2001.

Having reached the finals in the last two years, he lost both times in four sets to Nadal.

In 2005, Federer did not drop a set on his way up, but could win just one against Nadal, despite the fact that he dispatched hard core clay court specialists like Carlos Moya, Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Almagro en-route.

Last year, he dropped just one set the entire tournament, but again could win just one in the finals, although he was able take Nadal to a tie-break in the fourth.

These two were his best chances to break through. Nadal was just a teenager, lacking Grand Slam final experience, and without some of his best array of shots specially the serve.

You could tell Federer was visibly frustrated and distraught for not having completed the job with comments like “Nadal is just a one-dimensional player” and “I am getting closer to winning against him” etc. Maybe it was a good sign. You want the fire to burn even stronger when your efforts are repelled. Is it there this year? No evidence yet.

Maybe he has realized that Nadal has closed the door forever this year. Nadal is physically, fully grown and matured, leading to better co-ordination on the court. He has two years of utter dominance as experience to launch his latest onslaught on. Nadal has clearly improved his overall game by adding new and effective tools to his arsenal.

The incredible winning streak on clay and the 7-3 head to head advantage over Federer is not only adding to his growing confidence on the one hand, it is also piercing Federer’s armour on the other. Winning two consecutive opening clay court season tournaments without dropping a set is ample testament to his improved hardware and booming confidence.

All this is much more likely to translate more effectively to other surfaces this year, than in the last two years.

So far Federer had  been on the offensive, but this new scenario coupled with more talented and worthy field of adversaries this year and two losses, pushes him on his heels. At Monte Carlo, he was playing for ‘not to lose’ than ‘to win’. The defensive mode and the tentative shot selection there, is ample evidence of the shift in his mental make up.

If Nadal comes out unscathed through this clay season, Federer will be on the back foot for the rest of the year. And if Wimbledon is not an emphatic win, the shift is then irreversible.

Both of them are playing at Rome and Hamburg leading to the French Open. Federer skipped Barcelona or Casablanca and it seems to be a smart move. Nadal should have done the same. By playing at Barcelona, he seems to have too little time to recuperate for the big ones and may possibly have tweaked about peaking at Roland Garros. Here is Nadal’ schedule.

Monte Carlo – April 16-22.
Barcelona – April 23-29.
Rome – May 7-13.
Hamburg – May 14-20.
Roland Garros – May 28-June10.

You are playing back to back events twice with just one week off. And you have just one week after that for the big one. With such hectic activity, something’s gotta give, specially if he wins all of them before Roland Garros. That Barcelona break for Federer may be a difference maker.

Federer knows, in his heart, that he is at a crossroad in his career. He has to ignite the competitive fire and mend his psyche to physically deliver on the court. It is time for him to regain some momentum by winning some hard fought matches on clay to believe again.

But whatever we have as evidence so far, to go by, this clay season, Nadal has opened up a huge gap both in terms of numbers and the intangibles. Last two years, it was expected that Federer would complete the Grand Slam. If he wins Roland Garros this year, it will be more of a shock.

It is obvious the train has left, the window has closed, the door is shut and Federer sensed it for the first time at Monte Carlo finals. What he felt, was oozing out of his body unmistakably.

Can Nadal break the all-time clay court winning streak?

Yeah. There is another clay court streak out there, even more impresssive.

It was set by Chris Evert from the year 1973 to 1979 – the pre-historic times. The number? 125. She did not lose for six straight years. She’s got to be on steriods then. Was there any such testing, back then? Just asking!!!

Nadal has only 53 more to go. That’s not losing for at least the next three years and entering practically all clay events.

It is a tall order and if achieved, will be one hell of a record.

Djokovic breaks the top 5 barrier. Is No. 5 in the World.

Here are the top five:

1. Federer – 7290 points.

2. Nadal – 4875.

3. Roddick – 2980.

4. Davydenko – 2825.

5. Djokovic – 2595.

He is No. 3 in the points race this season, so far. Click here, for more on that.

Nadal overtakes Federer in the points race this season.

For the first time, Nadal has overtaken Federer in the points race this season. Here are the top five:

1. Nadal -365.

2. Federer – 346.

3. Djokovic – 287.

4. Murray – 212.

5. Roddick – 210.

Is there any doubt where the future of tennis is headed and in whose direction?

‘Battle of the Surfaces’ match in Spain. Think it’s a good idea?

You have definitely heard it by now.

Federer and Nadal are going to square up on Wednesday in what is being called the Battle of the Surfaces on a court with grass on one side and clay on the other, over three sets.

Oh, yeah!!! We really need to find out who is better at which surface???

Maybe the record books could have answered that question, without trivializing the sport and the players.

Remember the time, when you see your disciplinarian and respected 8th grade teacher, drive up to a grocery store in a banged up pinto, while you are parked in a, let’s say a new Toyota Camry.

You don’t want to see your teacher that way. You have a lot of respect for him. He was your favorite teacher and you never want to see him vulnerable. He has a noble job and you know he pours his guts out to help his students, in any way he can.

Need I say more!!!

No matter what you think of Nadal. You have to give him this:

Ever since Nadal burst on to the tennis scene, 99.9 percent of the world population has been out to bring him down. There may be some truth to few allegations, but there is a whole mountain of pieces on the other end that just is too much to ignore.

No matter how you feel about him, here are certain facts that even the most chronic Nadal-hater has to agree with, willingly or unwillingly. Here is the count:

1. If you were to ask the world, what is the ONE quality of Nadal that sticks out the most, it has to be his ‘never-say-die’ attitude. That is an attribute which has been revered, worshipped and envied since the beginning of time. David vs Goliath, anyone???

It has such magic, that it overshadows all other areas and can carry a person over the hump, without having many other skills and properties. It is this intangible quality that can and in many cases, have wrested victory from the jaws of certain defeat.

The beauty is, that it is not only an invaluable asset, for the player to achieve success, it is what has endeared the player to the fans, since the time of Adam and Eve. History books are replete with numerous events in practically every sphere of human life, where the person with the most resiliency and heart, eventually conquers a more skilled and powerful adversary time and time again.

Amazingly, even in defeat the party in possession of this unique property, wins a huge adoring following.

This invaluable trait has done more for Nadal’s game and popularity (or is it unpopularity) than all of his ‘tennis skills’ combined, that he has worked on, so hard and so long, on the tennis court.

2. By being fearless of Federer’s mighty game, he has created a legitimate rivalry unlike Roddick and Hewitt. Rivalry that has energised the tennis world by sending a hot buzz across the board.

The cash registers haven’t stop ringing since Nadal erupted on the scene. The sponsors and the event organizers couldn’t be happier. You cannot argue against it, no matter which side of the isle, you are in.

3. Nadal has shown exceptional maturity, off the court, for a teenager. He has never uttered anything derogatory against Federer, despite being on the receiving end of some uncalled for jabs from Federer like ‘Nadal is a one-dimensional player’ etc. He has never been arrogant, despite having a winning record against Federer, unlike Djokovic, who is yet to win a match against the World’s No. 1, but has already said enough.

He has remained humble and respectful of other players, even when provoked. Ljubicic made some, not so polite comments, last year to which Nadal said “I have a good relationship with Ljubicic and I don’t want to ruin it over this”.

There are other teenagers on the tour who have yet to show that maturity and demeanour off the court.

4. As if all that is not enough, the facts delineate a clear picture of a force in tennis. He has won more titles before turning 20 than everyone except Borg and is tied with him for most titles as a teenager. No one else has done that in open era. Not even Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roy Emerson and Roger Federer. You’ve got to tip your hat for that, no matter where you stand.

His dominance on clay is unmatched. His clay court winning streak is now at a ridiculous 72 and counting. You know the number for the last streak on clay? A mere 53 back in 1977. He has licked it by almost 20 matches!!!

His performance last year at Wimbledon was startling. No one in the history of the game has won the Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year, except Borg. And Nadal came very close to achieving, what is referred to as the ‘most difficult double’ in the tennis world and is considered impossible by current players. Nadal almost pulled it off.

You cannot be in possession of everything mentioned above, without a very mature and indepth understanding of the game and the skill set to execute it to perfection. He deserves all the credit in the world for having reached here at such an early age. Where were you at 18, 19 and 20?

GIVE IT UP.